Luck’s debut sends owner into Twitter ecstacy

Andrew Luck‘s first pass in an NFL exhibition game hit running back Donald Brown two yards behind the line of scrimmage. But it might as well have been a 63-yard bomb because Brown took it the distance. The Colts were on their way to trimming the St. Louis Rams 38-3.

What a way for Luck to start. According to the Indianapolis Star, Colts owner Jim Irsay gushed on his Twitter account: “Historic beginning!!!!!!!!!!!!! The legend has begun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Luck told reporters: “It was probably the easiest touchdown pass I’ll ever have in my life. Throw it maybe three yards in the air, and what a great job by Donald.”

Colts fans well remember that Luck’s predecessor, Peyton Manning, did roughly the same thing on his first NFL preseason pass in 1998. It was a 10-yarder that wide receiver turned into a 48-yard TD against the Seahawks.

Luck guided the Colts to three TDs in his four series, which covered 24 snaps. The former Stanford star was 10-for-16 for 188 yards and two TDs. Three of his incompletions were dropped, and two were dumped out of bounds as Luck escaped pass rushers.

The only misfire came on a goal-line trick play in which 6-foot-7 guard Joe Reitz was an eligible receiver. He came wide open in the end zone, but the pass was too high. Luck promised to buy Reitz a steak dinner to make it up to him.

According to the Star, there was no shortage of No. 18 jerseys in the sellout crowd, but Manning now plays for Denver. There were many more Luck No. 12 jerseys.